


Unexpected Christmas

by Clexa15



Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Christmas Fluff, Clexa, Clexa Christmas 2017, F/F, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Holidays, Lexa owns a Bed and Breakfast, Strangers to Lovers, very light angst
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-25
Updated: 2018-01-11
Packaged: 2019-02-20 03:56:11
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,188
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13138572
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Clexa15/pseuds/Clexa15
Summary: It was supposed to be an easy drive. Only a day's drive to get to her Gran's house for Christmas. Simple. Right?Wrong.After an unexpected event Clarke finds herself stranded in a small town named Galena. With only days before Christmas she prays that she can get her car fixed in time. Until then, she's stuck at a bed and breakfast with the gorgeous owner and her golden retriever.But, when a snow storm just happens to make it's ugly appearance, it leaves Clarke stranded a little longer than she'd planned...but maybe it's not such a bad thing after all.





	1. Ten Miles to Galena

**Author's Note:**

> Hello and a Merry Christmas to all my readers! 
> 
> I had planned to have this up and finished before Christmas but life seems to make things hard for me! So, I've decided to post part of it tonight and hopefully another part tomorrow. This one will be shorter than my other stories, no more than three chapters. It was just all too much to write tonight seeing as to how I have to be up early to leave for the next state over in the morning. 
> 
> Anyway, this is my first Christmas story so I hope I bring it some justice. Please, let me know what you think! :)

“Dammit, no! Don’t do this now!”

Pale hands hit the steering wheel, a little puff of hot air billowing past pink lips with each word. The car engine sputtered, popped and churned before stopping and leaving Clarke to sit in silence. Her shoulders sagged, brow crinkling in frustration as she glared at the hood of her car from her windshield.

“Of all the fucking things to happen!” Clarke cussed as she removed her seatbelt and climbed out the car,“You really couldn’t wait just four more hours or at least until I was in a city!”

A bitter breeze blew through the open road, the light layer of snow crunching under her feet as she reached her popped hood. With a slowly numbing hand Clarke pulled the metal covering up and coughed as a cloud of smoke puffed into her face. Once it cleared, blue eyes peered around the car’s system.

“I don’t even know what the hell I’m looking at,” Clarke muttered to herself as she stared at hoses and wires.

Knowing that she wasn’t going to get anywhere just standing and looking the blonde let the hood fall with a loud ‘clunk’ and walked back to her door. Clarke reached inside her purse, grabbing her phone and smiling when the picture of her cat, Symon, appeared on her lock screen. Her friends often teased her about the black cat’s funnily spelled name but she never cared, it seemed to fit him. Thought her smile quickly turned into a frown when she noticed the ‘no service’ notification at the top of her phone.

“Shit. This day just can’t get any worse!”

Clarke sighed deeply, hands falling to her sides as she slowly surveyed the scenery around her. The road was devoid of any cars, a few trees littering the sides of it’s expanse. Just when she was ready to give up all hop and crawl back into her car and wait for some miracle Clarke spotted a somewhat faded sigh just a few feet down the road partially covered by a tree branch. Spurred by the thought that there could be at least a small town nearby the blonde began a light jog.

The icy air turned her exhales into little clouds, teeth chattering slightly as it sunk down into her skin and bones. Clarke needed to find a gas station, mechanic shop, or something. She just needed to get out of this weather as soon as possible. As she finally reached the sigh Clarke took a few deep breathes before reaching up and snagging the branch away from it.

_GALENA, IL_  
_POPULATION: 3,361_  
_TEN MILES_

The numbers were freshly painted, maybe a few days old at most, and Clarke felt somewhat relived that at least someone had driven down this road. That gave her a little bit of hope that maybe she would get lucky and someone would happen to be driving towards the seemingly small town and see her. But Clarke knew better than to just wait it out. It could be hours before anyone came this way and she wouldn’t last the impending night in her car with no heat. With one last determined glance at the sign, the blonde made her way back to her car and grabbed her purse and tiny suitcase.

With her car locked and bags in hand Clarke stared down the winding road that lead to Galena, hoping deep down that there was someone who could help her get her where she needed to be.

* * *

Her pale jaw trembled violently. Hands tingling with numbness despite being stuffed into somewhat warm pockets. A pink tongue ran across dry cracked lips, the freezing air biting hard against them. The snow continued to crunch under her feet, the ground accumulating another half inch or so as little snowflakes stared to fall.

What had probably only been an hour’s walk felt like days to Clarke.

But thankfully, just as she felt her body would surly give away to the cold, she walked up to none other than a mechanic’s shop.

“About damn time I get some good luck,” Clarke muttered to herself as she hurried towards the open garage.

The building was fairly new. The brick exterior looking freshly pressure washed, perfectly clean windows giving a nice view into the waiting area, and a bright sign reading ‘Reyes Mechanics’. Peering over the metal link chain that kept onlookers out of bounds of the garage Clarke tried to find anyone. Preferably someone who could point her in the direction of a large cup of steaming coffee.

“Hello?”

The single word echoed around the garage and left Clarke stumped when no one answered. Figuring if no one was outside then at least one person had to be inside. Quickly grabbing hold of her suitcase the blonde moved towards the glass door and pulled it open, a tiny bell jingling above her. A sigh of relief left her chilled lungs as a blast of warm air hit her face and body. Just the mere seconds that she stood there thankfully sent all the chills from her body.

Clarke had been so busy soaking up the heat that she hadn’t heard when someone stumbled in from the back office with a box in hand.

“Holy shit!” A woman’s voice rang out before the sound of cardboard and metal parts hit the floor.

Blue eyes startled open, quickly finding the source of the cry directly behind the tall counter opposite of the door. A Latina woman, just a hair taller than Clarke, held a hand to her chest catching her breath like it had been knocked from her lungs.

“You scared the shit out of me,” The woman laughed,“I didn’t even hear the damn bell. I told Anya that thing was useless for me.”

Clarke cocked an eyebrow at her words. Clearly this woman didn’t care about her behavior in front of someone who could potentially be a client. She watched silently as the brunette leaned down and began picking up the fallen parts, stealing a glance or two at Clarke as she did so.

“Is there something I can help you with? Car troubles? Lost? You’re obviously not from here seeing as I’ve never seen you before and I know _everyone_ in this town.”

The blonde chuckled sheepishly,“A little of both actually. My car broke down about ten miles down the road. I saw a sign and figured this had to be the closest town since there was nothing else around me but a few trees and some snow.”

“You mean you walked ten miles out _there_ …to _here_?”

Clarke glanced out the window where the Latina was pointing her eyes softening at the beautiful snow that had started to gradually fall a little harder.

“Yeah. It wasn’t too bad,” Clarke mumbled, ignoring the dull throb of her toes and fingers as they regained their warmth,“It was either walk or freeze in my car hoping someone would pass by before night fall. By the looks of it, I’m glad I walked.”

The woman snorted, setting the now full box on the counter next to her before stepping around it.

“You’re damn lucky you didn’t freeze your ass off out there with a jacket like that,” She laughed as she pointed to the thin wool jacket wrapped around Clarke,“Cup of coffee to bring back some warmth?”

Clarke sighed gratefully, already not regretting walking into the town.

“Yes, please. I would love some.”

The Latina quickly made her way over to the coffee machine sitting on the far wall next to a few waiting chairs and poured a large steaming cup of coffee. Clarke watched, entranced as she moved towards her and held it out. She didn’t think twice about accepting the warm styrofoam cup and letting the hot liquid slid down her parched throat, not even caring about the burning sensation on her tongue.

“Thank you,” Clarke hummed.

“No problem. I know the weather out there can be a bitch,” The brunette said,“I’m Raven by the way.”

“Clarke,” The blonde said as she clasped her hand with Rave’s outstretched one,“Nice to meet you.”

Raven nodded silently back to her before turning and making her own cup of coffee.

“So, any reason you’re almost out in the middle of nowhere?”

Clarke hesitated, trying to find the best way to explain without going into gory details.

“I’m on my way to visit family for the holidays. I’m supposed to be there late tonight but…,” Clarke glared down at her bags and wet shoes,“My car decided to break down on me instead.”

“What’s the holiday’s without a little drama, right?” Raven asked with a light smile,“Now, you said your car is about ten miles down?”

“Yeah. It’s the blue Toyota. Can’t miss it. It’s literally the only thing sitting on the side of the road other than a few trees.”

“I can call in a friend and get him to pick it up. Might be a few hours though and then depending on what kind of parts you may need…,” Raven trailed off, Clarke cringing at the meaning.

“Meaning it could be at least another day before I can leave.”

“Exactly.”

Clarke sighed deeply, still gripping at the coffee cup,“Great. Looks like I’ll be staying then. Any places you recommend I stay?”

“There’s Chestnut Mountain Resort but they’re a pretty penny per night,” Raven said with a point look,“Or there’s a friend of mine who owns and runs a bed and breakfast. I’m sure I can talk her down to a decent price for you.”

“Really? You’d do that for me?”

The brunette shrugged after finishing off the last of her coffee,“Sure. You’re giving me something to do on this slow week least I could do is help you find somewhere to stay.”

“Thanks,” Clarke said as she threw away her empty cup,“I’m not really prepared for the whole car breaking down thing let alone paying for a place to stay.”

“I get it. Just let me give my friend a call. I’ll be right back out.”

Clarke watched as Raven disappeared around the counter and into her office. She stood there looking around the basic little waiting area hearing a few words muttered by the Latina. She was just beginning to rifle through the stack of magazines on an end table when Raven reappeared, phone in hand, with a large grin.

“Good news! My friend agreed to give you half price on a room for the night!”

“How’d you manage that?” Clarke said, eyes wide.

“Nothing to it really,” Raven said nonchalantly as she grabbed a set of keys off the counter,“My friend is a pretty big softie when it comes to me and besides, she’s completely empty for the week. All the tourists flock over to the resort so she could use the business.”

The blonde was at a loss for words. Here she was, a complete stranger, four days before Christmas, getting help from another complete stranger. Although Raven seemed to act as if they had been friends for years besides just meeting minutes ago. Clarke was so lost in her thoughts that she didn’t see Raven walk past her until the bell above the door sounded in her ears.

“You coming?” Raven said as she peered over her shoulder from the now open door.

“Yo-You’re going to drive me?” Clarke asked as she pointed to the keys in the Latina’s hand.

“Duh. I’m not going to let you walk in this weather with that jacket. I have to go see about getting your car picked up anyway and the place is on the way.”

Clarke smiled in thanks and quickly grabbed her bags before following Raven out the door. The brunette lead her over to the side of the building where an older model mustang sat. Despite it’s age, the car looked completely brand new and Clarke already felt better about Raven handling her car.

“Just throw your stuff in the back seat,” Raven said as she unlocked the doors and hopped in the driver’s seat.

Once her bags were thrown into the now running car Clarke crawled into the passenger seat, signing with content as the warm air blew against her skin from the vents.

“It’s about a ten minute drive from here. We’ll be there in no time,” Raven commented as she pulled out onto the road ahead.

Clarke scanned the small town from the window as it passed by, smiling at the little families all bundled up and walking down the sidewalks as they did last minute shopping for the holidays. As she stared, Clarke began to notice the snow begin to fall a little heavier than before.

 ** _“I really hope there isn’t going to be a storm. That’s the last thing i need right now,”_** Clarke thought as she watched a flurry of snowflakes fall from the fluffy white clouds above.

* * *

“Thanks, Raven. I really appreciate it. And thanks for taking my car in last minute so close to the holiday,” Clarke said as she shouldered her purse.

Raven scoffed from where she watched the blonde in the driver’s seat,“Please. There was nothing else I was doing besides reorganizing all my tools, which I really didn’t want to do in the first place. So you basically saved me from a few days of boredom.”

“Still. I appreciate it all. And for brining me here and talking to your friend. I don’t know what I’d do if I hadn’t walked into your shop.”

“Nothing to it, princess,” Raven waved her off,“What’s your number? I’ll send you a text when I have your car and know what’s wrong with it.”

Clarke pulled her phone from her back pocket and cringed as she saw the ‘no service’ still in the upper left corner. She smiled nervously at the Latina.

“Looks like I don’t get service here.”

“That’s cool. I’ll just call Lexa and ask for you. No big deal.”

 _Lexa_.

It was a name that Clarke didn’t hear too often and just the way it rolled around in her head had her stomach flipping over and over. She tried to picture what Lexa’s face would look like and wondered if she was just as unique as her name.

“Okay. Thank you again, Raven,” Clarke said as she looked through the passenger window.

“One more thanks out of you and I’ll make sure your car stays on the side of the road,” Raven joked.

The blonde laughed,“Fine. No more thank you’s.”

“Good,” Raven said before putting her car into drive and slowly peeling away.

“Thank you!” Clarke shouted right as Raven pulled away, smiling when she honked the horn at her.

Shaking her head, the blonde turned around and finally took a look at the bed and breakfast she would be staying at for the night. She wouldn’t be lying if she said that she was expecting something quaint and not the massive estate that sat in front of her. The house -mansion?- was breathtaking. Completely white, brick walk ways leading up to a set of stairs to a large front door. Two porches sat on either side of the estate, rocking chairs and a few tables occupying their space. Hedges lined the house, covered in snow and almost blending into the white exterior. The large fountain in the middle of the walkway sat unmoving, more thank likely turned off because of the freezing weather. The place was magnificent and Clarke couldn’t help but wonder just how much a room was at this place.

With a small sigh Clarke figured it was probably a lot better than the resort that Raven had mentioned. She slowly made her way up the walkway, careful of any icy spots that she may slip on. Blue eyes took in the small forest that surrounded the estate and couldn’t help but breathe the fresh air into her lungs.

“Ah!”

Clarke let out a little scream as something barreled into her front, sending her back into the hard snow covered brick beneath her. Something wet and warm slid across her cheek and she immediately began to giggle at the tickling sensation. Her eyes fluttered open and laughed at the large golden retriever that hovered above her, head cocked to the side and tongue hanging out.

“Well, hello there,” Clarke said as she sat up,“And just where did you come from?”

“Fish!”

A beautiful voice called out, making Clarke’s, and the dog’s, head snap to the side. Her lungs were now devoid of all oxygen as she stared at the woman that was rushing towards them. Brunette curls, vivid green eyes, and legs that went on for days; Clarke was speechless. In the back of her mind, she prayed that this was Lexa, and somehow she was certain she was.

“I’m so sorry about him! He gets really excited when new people arrive. We haven’t had anyone here in a few days so he’s a little crazier than usual,” The woman said as she pulled the golden off of her,“Here, let me help you up.”

Clarke blushed as the woman grabbed ahold of her elbow and helped her stand, taking her bag from her shoulder in the process.

“I’m Lexa. I’m assuming you’re Clarke?” The woman asked.

“That’s me,” Clarke nodded,“How’d you guess?”

“Raven mentioned something about a pretty blonde stumbling into her shop with a ridiculous excuse for a coat with a broken down car and in need of a place to stay for the night,” Lexa smiled as she looked her up and down,“You seem to match that description perfectly.”

Her blush intensified and she wondered if Lexa knew that she had just admitted to her being pretty. If the way she smirked at her was any indication Clarke would say yes. Clarke awkwardly shuffled in the silence for a moment as Lexa examined her before speaking.

“Let’s get inside, yeah? That jacket won’t do you much good out here.”

Clarke giggled, a cloud of hot air billowing past her lips,“Yes, please. I’m freezing.”

Still carrying her bag, Lexa gestured for her to go ahead of her. Clarke nodded with a smile and made her way up the few steps in front of her, Fish walking next to her the entire time. Blue eyes roamed over every newly visible feature of the estate, completely marveled by it’s beauty.

“My parents built this back in 1992, right before I was born,” Lexa commented from behind her,“It was their pride and joy…after myself, of course.”

Clarke laughed at the woman who now sported a smug smile at causing a reaction from her.

“Well they did a wonderful job with both you and the estate. You’re both gorgeous,” She said as she ran her fingers over the brass doorknob and turned it, pushing it open.

Clarke wondered if she overstepped with her comment since Lexa seemed ignored it in favor of stepping inside the estate, only a delicate red hue covering her nose and ears, most likely from the biting winds.

The atmosphere was warm and homey as they stepped into the foyer. There were two stair cases on either side, curving slightly and lifting to the second story balcony. A small receptionist desk sat in the center of the room, a large chandelier hanging above it, and Clarke figured that was where the check-ins and check-outs occurred.

“Just follow me to the desk and I’ll be able to get you set up in a room in no time,” Lexa said as she walked around her towards the desk.

Clarke glanced through open doorways on either side of the foyer, one looking like a large living room with multiple couches and the other a vast expanse of dining tables elegantly set, as she slowly made her way after Lexa. The interior was ten times more beautiful than the exterior and Clarke couldn’t seem to believe it. It was all much too gorgeous and she felt her wallet squirm in her purse.

“I’ve got no other guests here at the moment and no bookings for the week so I’ve got you set in the best room here, our king suite. You’ll love the roman spa tub that’s in the bathroom. It’s one of my favorite features of the room,” Lexa mumbled as she tapped a few keys at the computer that Clarke was just noticing.

“And exactly how much is this king suite?” Clarke asked lightly hoping she didn’t come off as a cheapskate. Money was tight at the moment and she still had to pay Raven whatever it took to get her car running again.

“It’s normally $250 a night but thanks to Raven you’ll get it for $89.”

Clarke’s jaw dropped slightly,“That’s more than half price. I can’t let you do that.”

Lexa waved her off,“It’s no problem, really. Besides, I could use the business. Everyone’s been taking up the resort since it opened. I have a few good regulars but not during the holidays so you’re giving me something to do other than run around with this fur ball all day.”

Fish’s head popped up from behind the counter next to Lexa and the blonde smiled brightly at the pair. She watched as Lexa gently scratched behind Fish’s ears, wondering how someone like her didn’t have a ring on her left hand.

 ** _“No. Bad, Clarke. Don’t think about those things. You’re here for one night and one night only. No need trying to start something that won’t go anywhere,”_** Clarke scolded herself.

“Clarke?”

Clarke jumped in her spot hearing her name and looked up to see Lexa looking at her curiously.

“I’m sorry. What did you say?”

Lexa smiled,“I asked if the king suite would be okay. If not I can put you in another room.”

“Um, no. It’ll be fine.”

“Okay, good,” Lexa said as she pulled a paper off the printer under the desk,“Just sign this and I’ll show you to your room.”

Clarke grabbed the paper and a pen and quickly scribbled her name, blue eyes flickering up to Lexa cocking an eyebrow at the use of her left hand to do so.

“What?”

Lexa’s eyes snapped away from her hand, a light blush coating her cheeks, and shook her head as she took the paper from her.

“Nothing…just, my father used to say left-handed people have an advantage in sports. Are you any good at them?”

She wanted to giggle at the woman’s way of trying to make things less awkward by making small talk. The brunette was actually doing quite the opposite…not that Clarke minded. She found it cute and endearing. The flush across Lexa’s cheeks growing when a tiny laugh escaped her lips.

“Well, I think that may depend on the person. I am far from athletic. I loved art class more than PE, trust me.”

“Ah,” Lexa hummed as she filed the paper away and stood from her chair,“You fall with my mother’s myth then. She swears that left-handed people are more creative even though it hasn’t been scientifically proven.”

Clarke laughed and quirked an eyebrow,“Do your parents have a thing for facts about dominant hands?”

“Not necessarily. They _had_ a thing for strange, random facts. They used to always tell me at least two new ones over dinner each night.”

“Had?”

Lexa moved around from the desk and cast her gaze down to her shoes as they scuffed against the flooring.

“They passed away two years ago in a car accident in the mountains. There was ice on the road, my father lost control of the car…”

Clarke’s heart squeezed painfully,“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have asked.”

“No, it’s fine,” Lexa brushed her off,“It’s still a little hard around the anniversary and the holidays sometimes but I’ve learned to live with it. I know they wouldn’t want me mopping around for the rest of my life.”

“If it makes you feel any better I know what it’s like to lose a parent, too. I lost my dad back when I was in high school. Cancer,” Clarke shrugged a bit sadly.

Lexa’s lips pursed into a thin line,“I’m sorry.”

Clarke waved her off.

“Like you said, it’s fine. Rough on some days and easier on others. But we get through it all in the end…for them. That’s what matters.”

The woman nodded slowly, a tight smile forming, before she picked up Clarke’s bag and gestured towards the stairs to their left.

“I’ll show you to your room.”

Clarke followed Lexa up the stairs, her faint smile turning bright as Fish brushed his head against her hand and nipped lightly at her fingers. She scratched behind his ear as they reached the second floor. Th walls were the same soft gold as downstairs, giving her a warm homey feeling. Intricate paintings lined the hallway that Lexa lead her down. Different scenes of forests and mountains depicted in each one and Clarke could feel her hand itch to recreate one or maybe a brand new one with the icy wonderland outside as her muse.

Too wrapped up in eyeing each paining and absentmindedly petting Fish Clarke almost didn’t notice Lexa stop in front of a set of double doors. She came pretty close to running straight into the brunette but was thankfully stopped by a delicate hand on her shoulder. Clarke glanced over to see Lexa watching her with a goofy smile.

“I take it you like the paintings?”

Clarke nodded, blue eyes moving to the nearest painting once again,“Yeah. They’re beautiful.”

“I redecorated a few months ago. Got them at an art fair downtown. A family friend of mine, Aden, he painted them. He’ll be going to art school next year.”

“He’s going to go places,” Clarke murmured,“He’s amazingly talented.”

“As are you, I’m sure,” Lexa replied as she pulled out a singular key from her pocket,“Did you go to art school?”

Despite that Lexa was no longer watching her, Clarke shook her head slowly, eyes turning back to watch the woman unlock the doors in front of them.

“Uh, no. My mother wanted me to go to medical school. So…there you go.”

Lexa pushed one door open before handing the key over to her, eyebrows crinkling softly,“You went to medical school just because your mother wanted you to? What about what you wanted?”

Clarke shrugged,“Wasn’t in her plans for me, I guess.”

“I don’t want to sound rude, Clarke, but it’s your life. You shouldn’t let her decide what you do with it, even if she is your mother.”

And she knew the woman was right, but after her father’s death Clarke had pretty much done anything to make her mother happy. Her mother worried over her constantly and said she only wanted what was best for her. So Clarke gave into her pressing lectures about medical school and perfect grades. But there was always that little voice in the back of her mind that told her she wasn’t doing it to make her mother happy…but instead doing it to get her off her back and making her think she would fail at life.

“In a way, I guess you’re right but it’s whatever. I do like my job. There’s a certain something about holding someone’s heart in your hands that you just can’t explain.”

Lexa gave her another tight lipped smile,“Well, I guess I can’t argue with that. But, just know, you aren’t stuck there. You have a choice to leave if you wanted.”

Clarke nodded slowly, letting her know that she understood her words and let them settle in her chest. She wanted to dwell on them. Give them thought and let them come to life in her mind but now was not the time. She could save that for another day.

Instead, she stepped into the short hallway of her room when Lexa gestured for her to walk in first. A gasp left her throat at the sight of the beautiful room. High ceilings, soft blue walls, floor to ceiling windows covered with white billowy curtains. A king sized bed in the center of the right wall, a dark wood desk between the two windows. A fireplace sat on the wall opposite of the bed, a couch and love seat surrounding it along with a dark wood coffee table. There was a plush lounge chair that sat in the corner of the room right next to a set of double french doors that led out to what looked like a balcony.

On either side of the fireplace were two doors, both open. One looked to lead into a walk in closet while the other led into a gorgeous bathroom. Clarke could see the sleek marble flooring and the roman spa tub that Lexa had mentioned earlier. She could almost feel the soreness in her legs ease up at the thought of sinking into a hot bath.

“This is beautiful, Lexa,” Clarke spoke softly as she wondered around the room, fingers bruising over the soft comforter on the bed.

Lexa sat her bag down on the edge of the bed and let her hands fall to her hips as she too eyed the room.

“Best in the house. You’ll love it in here. Large windows with plenty of sunlight to give it that warm feeling. And there’s also automatic blinds if you want to make it a little darker.”

The room just seemed to be getting better and better and Clarke couldn’t help but feel a little guilty for the price she was paying. It was worth so much more.

“Are you sure $89 is fine? It doesn’t seem like enough for this.”

“Of course. Like I said, it’s been slow and…think of it as an early Christmas gift. From me to you,” Lexa smiled.

“If you say so,” Clarke said lightly as she moved around the room.

She could feel Lexa’s eyes on her as she walked towards the window to peer out into the winter wonderland. From the bedroom’s position in the house she could see straight into the large backyard. There were a few tables on beautiful patio along with some lounging chairs but what caught her eye the most was the frozen lake a few yards out.

“There’s a lake here?”

“Yeah,” Lexa’s reply was gentle behind her,“It’s been frozen for a better part of the last two weeks. Should be good for some skating.”

“Ice skating?” Clarke asked nervously picturing herself falling on her ass in front of the beautiful woman.

“What other kind of skating would you do on a frozen lake, Clarke?”

Clarke glanced over her shoulder and gave her a look as if to say ‘seriously?’. Lexa laughed and held her hands up defensively.

“You asked. Not me.”

“It was rhetorical.”

“Sounded like you were nervous. Not good at sports right?”

“Nope.”

“Well I could always teach you.”

Clarke raised a brow,“You skate?”

“A little,” Lexa shrugged,“It was something my parents and I did close to the holidays. I’m sure I have an extra pair of skates roaming around if you want to try.”

Clarke turned back to glance at the lake for a split second before turning back,“I’ll have to think about it.”

“I’ll start looking for the skates. I’ll have you out on the ice before tomorrow evening,” Lexa said smugly.

“I said I’d think about it, not that I’d do it.”

“You and I know whenever someone says they’ll think about it, they do it.”

“Sure they do,” Clarke rolled her eyes playfully.

Lexa chuckled before falling silent for a few moments, only the sound of Fish sniffing around the room floating between them. They stared at each other much longer than someone might deem appropriate before Lexa cleared her throat and shuffled a step towards the exit.

“I guess I’ll let you settle in then. There’s towels in the bathroom closet as well as shampoo and all that. I’ll also have some dinner ready in about an hour and a half if you’re hungry. If you’re too tired to come down just ring the front desk and I can bring it up to you,” Lexa said as she nodded over to the phone on the bedside table.

Clarke nodded in understanding,“Thanks, Lexa. I really appreciate this. Seriously.”

“No big deal. It’ll be nice to have someone other than this monster walking around here,” Lexa said as she ruffled Fish’s fur.

The blonde smiled brightly as the golden jumped up and tried to lick Lexa’s face. The woman pushed him down gently while laughing before meeting Clarke’s eyes once again.

“If you need anything at all just give me a call. I’m usually up until late doing some work so don’t worry that I’ll be sleeping.”

“I will. Thank you again.”

Lexa waved her off and gave her another smile, brighter this time, before ushering Fish down the short hallway and out the door.

Clarke waited until the door was fully shut before letting out a deep sigh and falling backwards onto the bed. She could feel the exhaustion settling into her bones as she sunk further into the soft mattress. This wasn't exactly how she expected her trip to play out. It was supposed to be a straight-shot trip with no problems. Now…well, now she was stuck in a small town bed and breakfast with a gorgeous brunette who made her feel… _something_.

A groan escaped her lips as Clarke ran a hand over her eyes to try and ease the wariness she was beginning to feel. It had been a long day and she wanted nothing more than to take a hot bath and settle into the fresh smelling sheets below her. After a quick glance over to the clock Clarke decided she had enough time to soak in the tub for a while before dinner. Grabbing her bag, Clarke stalked towards the bathroom, fully intent on using every last drop of hot water.


	2. Dinner Buddies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lexa and Clarke enjoy dinner and Clarke almost forgets to make a call.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry this is being posted only now! I planned to have this finished before the first week of the new year ended but...well, you know. Life. What can you do? But, I'm back! And this will get finished! It's turning out to be a bit longer than I originally planned but I'm not complaining. 
> 
> I hope you all enjoy this one! A late New Years present! :)

Feeling refreshed and donning a set of warm clean clothes Clarke figured she’d make her way downstairs in search of Lexa. Clarke made sure she had the room key tucked safely into her pocket before making her way downstairs.

The smell of something robust immediately hit her nose as she hit the last step. Clarke peeked around the corner into what she assumed was the dining room and smiled softly when she noticed Fish trotting around the room, nose pressed to the floor and sniffing loudly. His fuzzy head popped up and made his way over to her the second she stepped away from the wall and into the room.

“Hey, Fish,” Clarke cooed as he slid into her legs and began licking at her fingers,“Where’s that smell coming from, huh? Where’s Lexa?”

At the sound of his owner’s name, Fish barked happily as he turned and ran towards the back of the room and through a swinging door. The smell grew a hint strong when the door swung open so Clarke guessed that Fish was leading her in the right direction. Clarke maneuvered through the tables before quietly pushing open the door and walking into a large kitchen. Everything was marble and stainless steel. Sleek and new. To her it looked like a kitchen one only saw in magazines.

And there standing in the middle of it all, was Lexa.

Lexa stood over a pot, one hand stirring continuously and the other propped on her hip as she looked down at an excited Fish.

“And just who said you could come in here?” Lexa asked the golden.

Clarke cleared her throat, Lexa snapping around at the sound and meeting her eyes.

“Sorry. That was me. I just came down and found him and asked where you were. He lead me right to you.”

Lexa eyed her for a second before letting a smile fill her face.

“Of course. He does listen very well so I guess I can’t be mad,” Lexa turned back to Fish who sat quietly at her feet,“But no more coming in the kitchen while I’m cooking. There’s regulations I have to abide by.”

Both women chuckled softly when Fish simply huffed and stretched out across the floor, as if he had heard the lecture thousands of times before. Clarke could see Lexa roll her eyes before glancing back at her and then to the pot.

“If you’re hungry I should be done in about five minutes. I’ll bring it out to a table or if you want it in your room…,” The brunette trailed off.

“Well,” Clarke breathed out,“Since no one else is here why don’t we eat out in the dining room?”

“We?”

“Yeah. There’s no one else here so why not eat together? That’s…if you want to?”

Lexa’s stirring slowed momentarily, eyes lost in the swirling sauce, before nodding slowly.

“I’d like that,” She whispered,“It’s been a while since I’ve had dinner with someone.”

There was a hint of sadness in her voice, one that concerned Clarke. The lost look in her emerald orbs was still there as she absentmindedly stirred the sauce. Fish, sensing the shift in his owner’s mood, stood from the floor and bumped his head against her leg.

“What about your friends? Raven? I’m sure you’ve had dinner with them,” Clarke tried.

Lexa shook her head,“It’s been pretty busy around here this year, which is unusual. Even though it’s kind of dropped down a little since the holidays are getting closer, everyone leaves town to visit family. I’ve been too busy to actually make it to any dinners I’ve been invited to. But it’s no big deal.”

Clarke could feel the lingering sadness behind Lexa’s words. How she longed to be surrounded by those she cared about and simply feel their presence. She wanted nothing more than to reassure Lexa that she wasn’t alone now, that she was right here, but wasn’t sure if that was going to far. She had only met her a few hours ago and they barely knew anything about each other, other than their names.

_But…_

“Well, I’m here,” Clarke said cheerfully,“I’ll be the best dinner buddy ever.”

Lexa quirked an eyebrow.

“Dinner buddy?” She laughed.

Clarke grabbed the two plates that were sitting on the counter and held them out towards the pot waiting for Lexa to dish their meal.

“Yes. Dinner buddy. We, uh, don’t really know each other that much to be friends but maybe we could change that…?”

When only silence followed her trailed off question Clarke felt a nervous sweat break out along her neck. Maybe she had gone too far. Overstepped her bounds. She had to think of something to say. Apologize or som—.

“I guess we better find a comfortable table then,” Lexa spoke softly as she plopped a healthy amount of spaghetti onto both plates.

A smile broke out over Clarke’s face before she could control it. When Lexa’s eyes widened at it’s brightness she could feel the blush spreading over her face. There was just something about that emerald stare that brought out every feeling within her.

After a brief locking of eyes, Lexa turned the stove off and gathered a bottle of wine and some glasses before following Clarke out of the kitchen, Fish trailing along happily.

They chose a table closest to the crackling fireplace and Clarke was thankful. The warm from the flames helping to hide her still blushing cheeks and she doubted it would go away anytime soon. Many laughs and stories were shared over dinner and wine, each woman doubling in laughter when Fish sprung up to claim a fallen noodle from Lexa’s fork.

There was even the subtle of touches throughout. An accidental grazing of fingers as they both reached for the wine bottle, a brush of feet under the table, arms touching when they leaned a little too close together.

And, despite their position at the table to look directly out the back wall that was basically nothing but windows, neither one noticed the increase in snowfall.

“Really? Pigs running through the hallways? How’d they manage that?”

“You’d be surprised what the football team would have done to win during Junior Senior War,” Clarke laughed as she took another sip of wine,“They paid off one of the janitors to let them in the school before anyone got there so they could release the pigs.”

Lexa leaned back in her chair and shook her head as she laughed,“Some high school you went to. Nothing remotely as weird as that has ever happened here.”

“Yeah. It was pretty crazy.”

They say in silence for some time, both just looking down into their wine glasses and drinking quietly.

“So,” Lexa said lowly,“What brought you out here anyway? All the way from Florida?”

Clarke sighed and twirled her glass, watching the dark liquid swirl towards the edges.

“I got into a fight with my mother. I submitted a few pieces to a gallery for a showing and when she found out…well let’s just say she wasn’t happy.”

Lexa sat up, eyebrow crinkling in confusion,“Why?”

“She said that I was wasting what little free time I had painting when I could be using it to better myself in medicine. As if I didn’t already have perfect scores in every single class I ever took.”

“Don’t take this the wrong way but…you’re mother sounds like a bitch.”

Clarke let out a bitter laugh knowing that only hours ago she was thinking the exact same thing.

“Yeah, she can be sometimes. But I know it’s because she wants what’s best for me, although that shouldn’t excuse her for her behavior. I just…I thought getting away for a while would help,” Clarke said, setting down her glass,“I decided to spend the holidays with my Gran up in Minneapolis since she couldn’t fly down this year. I was too angry to wait for a flight so I packed and hopped in my car and started driving. Gran wasn’t too happy to hear about that but she got over it. I was about ten miles from here when my car broke down.”

Clarke peered up to see Lexa watching her silently, head cocked to the side adorably.

“I tried to wait for a car to pass but no one came…so I started walking.”

“What? Raven said you’d stumbled into her shop with a broken down car. Not that you _walked_ ten miles and _then_ stumbled into her shop. And in the snow no less and in that poor excuse for a jacket!” Lexa said with a gasp.

“What’s up with you and Raven hating on my jacket?”

Lexa eyed her seriously,“Face it, Clarke. That jacket didn’t keep you warm. It made you colder.”

And there was that damn blush again.

“Whatever. Maybe I’ll need one of you to show me where I can get a decent jacket before I leave,” Clarke said.

“I know just the place,” Lexa said,“I can’t let you travel the rest of the way to your Gran’s with a jacket like that.”

When Lexa spoke of her Gran it automatically hit her that she hadn’t called her to tell her the news. Normally she would get a call every hour from the worried grandmother but with her cell phone being out of service there was no way for her to get the calls.

“Dammit! I completely forgot to call Gran! She’s probably worried since I know she’s probably already called to check on me. God, she’s probably called my mother too,” Clarke panicked as she stood from her seat.

Lexa came to stand at her side, a hand finding it’s way comfortingly on her arm,“Calm down, Clarke. It’s okay. You can use the phone in your room or the one at my desk up front.”

Clarke threw out a quick ‘thank you’, unconsciously kissing the brunette’s cheek, before rushing out the dining room and towards the phone sitting behind the desk. She reached across the counter and grabbed the cordless device, mentally racking her brain for her Gran’s phone number as she fumbled with the buttons.

The phone began dialing and Clarke couldn’t keep her knee from bouncing nervously. She prayed that she hadn’t worried her Gran too much. Stress was the last thing the older woman needed. When the phone rang for a fifth time and there was still no answer Clarke worried her lip and was just about ready to hang up and call her mother.

“Hello?”

Clarke let out a relieved breath and could feel a bit of weight lift from her shoulders.

“Gran, it’s Clarke.”

“Oh my goodness, Clarke! Do you know how worried you’ve made me! I’ve been calling your phone the last few hours trying to reach you! What happened? Are you okay?”

“Calm down, Gran. I’m fine,” Clarke soothed,“My car broke down about fours away from you and I don’t have any phone service out here. That’s why you couldn’t reach me. It took me some time before I could get to a working phone but I’m completely fine. I promise.”

Clarke could hear the older Griffin mumbling worriedly to herself for a few moments.

“Do I need to come get you? Where are you? Please tell me you’re somewhere warm!”

Clarke chuckled lightly,“I don’t think you’ll be able to drive out in this snow. It’s probably worse over there than it is here anyway. And I’m plenty warm now. I had to walk a few miles to a town called Galena. I actually found a shop and someone to fix my car and they’re friends with someone who owns a bed and breakfast out here. They fixed me up with a room until my car is fixed. So I’m perfectly fine. No worries.”

“Clarke, this is why you should have flown. You’d already be here and not stranded in some strange town! How am I suppos—…,”

The sound of Fish’s barking had Clarke’s attention drifting away from her Gran’s worried ranting. She smiled softly as the golden ran towards her, snout covered in what she assumed could only be spaghetti sauce. Lexa came running behind him, skidding across the floor as she tried to reach him in attempts to keep him from reaching her.

When his sauce covered snout nuzzled her unoccupied hand Clarke’s smile only grew. She felt Lexa come to a stop right behind Fish and she couldn’t stop her eyes from locking onto bright green as she interrupted her Gran’s insistent rambling.

“I think I’m in good hands here, Gran. You’ve got nothing to worry about.”

Lexa’s cheeks tinged a slight pink, eyes darting away and looking at everything that wasn’t Clarke. Fish barked happily between them, as if he agreed to her words.

“Was that a dog?”

Clarke snapped back into reality and finally tore her gaze away from the brunette.

“Yeah. The owner, Lexa, she has a golden retriever named Fish. He’s a cutie.”

Another bark from Fish.

“Fish? Very unique name for a dog but he sounds adorable.”

“He is. Even covered in spaghetti sauce,” Clarke replied with a giggle as she looked at her sauce covered fingers.

Lexa cringed and mouthed an apology before shooing Fish towards the back of the house, probably to a bathroom for a quick clean up.

“Are you sure you’re going to be okay there, Clarke? I have no problems getting in my car and driving,” Her Gran said, pulling her, once again, back into the conversation.

“I’m sure. If you started driving in this weather _I’d_ be the one worried. You called every hour, I would call every minute. It’s not safe with the snow. I’m warm, have a bed to sleep in, and plenty of food and water. I’ll be okay for the night.”

The woman sighed deeply and Clarke could just picture her rubbing her eyes in tiredness.

“Okay, then. Just promise me you’ll check in every once in a while. I’m not sure who’s phone your on at the moment but I don’t want to bother them every hour with calls.”

Clarke smiled at her Gran’s words. Even safe in a warm bed and breakfast and the older woman was still worried about her granddaughter.

“I will. I swear. It’s getting late here so I’ll call you in the morning when I wake up. I’m sorry. I can’t be there tonight, Gran. I know you were looking forward to it and so was I.”

“Oh, Clarke. Sweetie, it’s okay. It’s not your fault. I’m just glad your safe and not hurt or crashed into a tree or something else. As long as you’re okay I’ll be okay.”

“Thanks, Gran,” Clarke said softly,“Um…did you…did you call her?”

Her heart clenched at the weary sigh that her Gran released.

“I was about to right before you called.”

“Oh, okay. Good.”

“You both might be fighting right now but she’s still your mother. She deserves to know what happened and where you are.”

Clarke nodded slowly even though her Gran couldn’t see her. She knew that she at least owed her mother that much. If she didn’t then it would only start another fight between them once she found out on her own. And the last thing Clarke wanted was to start another fight.

“I’ll talk to her. Just not right now. In the morning maybe,” Clarke mumbled as she leaned against the counter.

“Okay. I understand you’re not ready just yet. As long as you talk to her soon. There doesn’t need to be another fight between you both if she happens to find out on her own.”

“I know, Gran.”

There was a fleeting silence. One that hung heavy and wrapped around Clarke’s heart like a large weight. She hated having her family at odds. She wanted nothing more than for them to all be on the same page and _not fighting_ during the holidays.

“I guess I’ll let you get some sleep. You’re probably exhausted from today,” Her Gran said softly.

“Yeah. It’s been crazy. I’ll talk to in the morning, okay?”

“Okay. Goodnight, Clarke. I love you.”

“Night. Love you, too.”

Clarke slowly pulled the phone away from her ear, staring at it a few moments before hitting the ‘end call’ button and setting it back in its rightful spot. Clarke planted her elbows onto the countertop and covered her face with her hands and tried to rub with weariness from her eyes.

“How’d it go?”

Lexa’s voice startled her slightly and caused her head to spring from her hands. She leaned against the framed archway to her right, arms folded across her chest. Fish sat by her side; his face now devoid of any sauce.

“Not as bad as I thought. I was able to calm her down a lot faster than I expected. I think if I had waited another hour she would have had a search party looking for me,” Clarke chuckled.

“Well at least you avoided that,” Lexa laughed,“And your mother?”

Clarke’s eyes fell to her feet, one of them rubbing across a small scratch on the otherwise flawless flooring.

“I’m going to call and explain everything in the morning. I’m just…I”m not ready to talk to her just yet.”

Lexa pushed away from the frame and made her way towards her and that’s when Clarke finally noticed the small rag in her hand.

“I understand. No need to explain,” Lexa said and Clarke knew she was trying to not overstep any boundaries,“Here.”

Clarke reached out slowly and took the rag from Lexa’s outstretched hand.

“Thanks…? What’s this for?”

“You’re hand and,” Lexa paused for a moment and scanned her face,“Well, your face now, too.”

It took her less than five seconds to finally realize what Lexa was talking about. Spaghetti sauce still covered her hand and now her face. Her cheeks began to heat up knowing that she probably looked a complete mess in front of the woman.

“Thanks. God, I probably look terrible right now,” Clarke stressed as she wiped her face and hand.

“Not your fault. This one here couldn’t seem to resist the bowl of spaghetti sauce that I was trying to put away. Knocked it off the counter and started eating it when I had my back turned. Little sneak,” Lexa playfully growled as she eyed a tail wagging Fish.

Clarke giggled at the golden’s somewhat smug look that covered his face.

“It’s fine. No harm done. I’d say he’s pretty proud of himself, don’t you?”

Lexa shook her head, hand ruffling the top of Fish’s head,“Of course he is. He always is when he does something like this.”

Blue eyes watched the brunette intently. The way Lexa smiled at the golden had her heart melting in her chest. The warmth she could see radiating in those green depths was something else entirely.

And then those eyes were on her. An almost similar warmth staring back at her…maybe even slowly growing to something _more_.

Clarke cleared her throat when she felt that she had been staring for too long. Her fingers picked nervously at a piece of lent on her pants as she tried to think of her next words.

“I guess since it’s getting late I should head up to bed,” Clarke tried lamely.

Lexa inhaled sharply and nodded,“Of course. I’ve got a bit of cleaning to do so I’ll be up for a bit. Just let me know if you need anything.”

“Yeah,” Clarke nodded softly as she turned towards the stairs, stopping as she reached the first one to turn around and smile at Lexa,“Thank you for this again, Lexa. I really appreciate it.”

Lexa’s hands locked behind her, head bowing for a moment before lifting with a small smile reaching the corner of her mouth.

“No problem, _Clarke_.”

The way her name rolled off her tongue had a shiver running down Clarke’s spin and setting off goosebumps across her skin. She wasn’t imagining this feeling. There was something there in the way Lexa spoke. Something deeper.

They kept their gazes locked probably much longer than what was considered appropriate but neither seemed to care. It took all of Clarke’s strength the give Lexa one last smile and nod before finally turning and making her way up the stairs towards her room. Reaching the top, Clarke quickly peeked over her shoulder to see Lexa quickly look away from her and disappear through the threshold into the dining room.

Her heart beat wildly in her chest.

There was definitely something building.

Clarke could undoubtedly feel it just in the way Lexa looked at her alone.

And in the way her heart fluttered every time she locked eyes with the woman.

As Clarke climbed into bed and stared absentmindedly at the ceiling she silently thanked everything above that her car had broken down.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all enjoyed it! Once again, I'm sorry for how long this has taken me but I will see it through! I also want to say thank you to everyone who left kudos and comments and also subscribed/bookmarked this story! I appreciate every single one of you!
> 
> Until next time, Lovelies!
> 
> Love to all! 
> 
> Xoxo

**Author's Note:**

> So, I realize that it's probably going to take a miracle to get the next part up before Christmas is over but I'll try. It'll at least be up before the new year. XD
> 
> I hope you all enjoyed the first part! I really liked writing this one even though it took a bit to get it off it's feet. If any of you want to see what I imagine Lexa's bed and breakfast looking like, I got inspiration from The Duke Mansion which is a B&B in NC. It a beautiful place. There's a few things that I've changed in my head but that's basically what I've tried to describe. :)
> 
> Until next time Lovelies!
> 
> Love to all! 
> 
> And Merry Christmas!


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